Draft-equalizer.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DRAFT-EQUALIZER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4, 1906.

Application filed Tune 7, 1906. Serial No- 320,602.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. RAYMOND, a citizen of the United States,residing at Morris, in the county of Grundy and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Draft-Equalizers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction ofdraft-equalizers for employment in connection with plows andagricultural machines generallyto avoid side draft where the line ofpull is to one side of the line of greatest resistance, and relates moreparticularly to draft-equalizers designed for use with four horsesabreast when it is desired that the point of attachment with the plow orthe like shall be to one side of a line midway between the outerdraft-animals.

My object is to provide a simple, strong, and durable equalizer ofimproved construction which will be particularly eflicacious in avoidingside draft, and thereby maintaining the course of travel of the plow orthe like straight.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improvedequalizer especially adapted for plows, indicating by dotted lines thepoints at which doubletrees with swingletrees for four horses areattached; Fig. 2, an enlarged broken section taken on line 2 in Fig. 1,and Fig. 3 an enlarged section taken on line 3 in Fig. 1.

4 is a lever or main doubletree, which may be a steel-bar of the shapeshown and provided with a bolt-opening, in the position indicated, for abolt 5 in the nature of a king bolt, to which a clevis 6 on the end ofthe plow-beam (not shown) is pivotally secured. The bolt 5 forms afulcrum for the lever 4. On the short arm of the said lever in therelativepositions shown are openings for bolts 7 and 8, and in the outerend portion of the long arm of the lever is a series of bolt-openings 9.

10 is a doubletree provided along its central portion with a series ofbolt-openings 11 and toward its outer ends, respectively, with a seriesof bolt-openings l2 and 13. A center link 14, consisting of upper andlower metal straps, is pivotally comiected at one end to the bolt 8 andat its opposite end to a bolt 15 in one of the openings 11. An end link16 is pivotally connected at one end to a bolt 17 in one of the openings9 and at its. opposite end to a bolt 18 in one of the openings 13. Thelinks 14 16 tend to hold the bars or eveners 4 10 in parallel relationto each other.

19 is a link pivotallyconnected at one end to the bolt 7 and at itsopposite end to a bolt 20 in one of the openings 12. The link 19 piay bea flexible metal bar or a chain or the Pivotally fastened to the bolt 18is a draft animal-attaching link 21, having a bolt-opening in its outerend portion for attachment to a doubletree 22, carrying the swingletrees23.

A draft-animal-attaching link 24 is pivotally connected at one end tothe bolt 20 and at its opposite end has a pair of parallel bolt-openingsthrough either of which a bolt 25 may be passed for the attachment of adoubletree 26, carrying swingletrees 27. Between the ends of the link 24in the position shown is a series of bolt-openings 28. A bar 29,consisting of upper and lower members, as indicated in Fig. 3, has aseries of bolt-openings in one end portion, at one of which it ispivotally secured to the bolt 5, and in is opposite end it has a seriesof bolt-openings 31.

32 is a bar or connecting mediun provided at one end with an opening toreceive a bolt 33, at which it is attached to the bar 29 at one of theopenings 31. In the opposite end portion of the bar 32 is a series ofbolt-openings 34 for a bolt 35, at which the bar is attached to one ofthe openings 9 in the lever 4.

36 is a clip pivotally connected to a bolt in one of the openings 28 ofthe link 24. In the end of the clip is an opening to receive thethreaded shank of a hook 37, adjustably retained by a nut and jam-nut38.

39 is a chain or other suitable, preferably flexible, medium or linkconnection attached at one end to the bolt 33 andat its opposite end tothe hook 37.

All the bolt-openings described are somewhat larger in diameter than thebolts they receive to admit of slight independent play between the partsat all the joints.

It will be understood that the object of the equalizer is to cause pairsof draft-animals hitched to the swingletrees 23 and 27, res ectively, toexert substantially equal pu ling force upon the plow connected at 6 ina man ner to avoid side draft. The doubletree 22 is materially closer tothe longitudinal plane 'of the clevis 6 than the doubletree 26. The pullupon the doubletree 22 through the link 21 and link 16 is in a directionwhich would tend to swing the lever or evener 4 upon the fulcrum 5 andthe doubletree or evener 10 upon the fulcrum 15. Forward pull upon thedoubletree 26 would tend to cause it to swing the evener 10 upon itsfulcrum and the doubletree 4 upon its fulcrum 5. The point of connectionbeing materially further laterally from the point 5 than the point 18,the leverage from that side would be materially greater. This excess ofleverage is overcome, however, by causing the link 24 to extendobliquely, as indicated, and in its tendency to straighten under a pullupon the doubletree 26 to draw upon the chain 39 against the apex 33 ofthe triangle formed by the parts 4 29 32. This compensates for theexcess in length of leverage on that side over the other side, and thusproduces the same effect as would be caused by connecting the clevis 6to the doubletree 1O midway between the bolts 18 and 20.

By providing the series of openings 9 in the evener 4, the series 11,12, and 13 in the evener 10, the series 30 and 31 in the bar 29, and theseries 28 25 in the link 24 various adjustments may be effectedas, forexample, when it is desired to equalize the draft when there is amaterial difference in the weight and pulling power of the two teams.The oblique angle of the link 24 may also be changed by shortening orlengthening the hook 37. To all intents and purposes bothv the bars 19and 32 may be chains or other flexible connections, because the forceexerted against them is at all times in the form of longitudinal strain.

My improved draft-equalizer is formed of comparatively fewreadilyadjustable parts so disposed as to contribute strength anddurability to the device.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a draft-equalizer, the combination of a lever with means forconnecting it at its fulcrum with a plow or other implement, a maindoubletree, a center link connecting the doubletree toward its center tothe said lever near and at one side of the said fulcrum thereof, an endlink connecting said doubletree and lever, near their ends at theopposite side of said fulcrum, a bar extending forward from said leveradjacent to the fulcrum thereof and held against independent movementthereon in the direction away from said end link, adraft-animal-attaching link extending forward from the said doubletreeadjacent to said end link, asecond draft-animalattaching link extendingobliquely forward from the opposite end portion of said doubletree andinclined toward the center thereof, and a pivotal link connectionbetween said second link and the end portion of said bar, for thepurpose set forth.

2. In a draft-equalizer, the combination of a lever with means forconnecting it at its fulcrum with a plow or other implement, a

main doubletree, a center link connecting the doubletree toward itscenter to the said lever near and at one side of the said fulcrumthereof, an end link connecting said double tree and lever near theirends, at the opposite side of said fulcrum, a bar extending forwardfromsaid lever adjacent to the fulcrum thereof, a link connectionextending between the forward end portion of said bar and the endportion of said lever near said end link and forming with said bar andlever a triangle, a draftanimal-attaching link extending from saiddoubletree adjacent to said end link, a second draft-animal-attachinglink extending obliquely forward from the opposite end portion of saiddoubletree and inclined toward the center thereof, and a pivotal linkconnection between the said second link and the apex portion of saidtriangle.

3. In a draft-equalizer, the combination of a lever with means forconnecting it at its fulcrum with a plow or other implement, a maindoubletree, a center link connecting the doubletree toward its center tothe said lever near and at one side of the said fulcrum thereof, an endlink connecting said doubletree and lever near their ends, at the op 0-site side of said fulcrum, a bar extending fbrward from said leveradjacent to the fulcrum thereof and held against independent movementthereon in the direction away from said end link, adraft-animal-attaching link extending from said doubletree adjacent tosaid end link, a second draft-animal-attaching link extending obliquelyforward from the opposite end portion of said doubletree and inclinedtoward the center thereof, a pivotal link connection between said secondlink and the end portion of said bar, and a pivotal link connectionbetween the end portion of said doubletree adjacent to said second linkand the lever, between the fulcrum thereof and the said center link, forthe purpose set forth.

4. In a draft-equalizer, the combination of a lever with means forconnecting it at its fulcrum with a plow or other implement, a maindoubletree, a center link connecting the doubletree toward its center tothe said lever near and at one side of the said fulcrum thereof, an endlink connecting said doubletree and lever near their ends at theopposite side of said fulcrum, a bar extending forward from said leveradjacent to the fulcrum thereof and held against independent movementthereon in the direction away from said end link, adraft-animal-attaching link extending forward from the said doubletreeadjacent to said end link, a second draft-animal-attaching linkextending obliquely forward from the opposite end portion of saiddoubletree and inclined toward the center thereof, and a ivotal linkconnection between said second ink and the end portion of said bar, thesaid center link, end link and draft-animal-attaching links beingadjustable longitudinally of the doubletree and the said end link beingalso adjustable longitudinally of the lever, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a draft-equalizer, the combination of a lever with means forconnecting it at its fulcrum with a plow orother implement, a maindoubletree, a center link connecting the doubletree toward its center tothe said lever near and at one side of the said fulcrum thereof, an endlink connecting said doubletree and lever near their ends at theopposite side of said fulcrum, a bar extending forward from said leveradjacent to the fulcrum thereof and held against independent movementthereon in the direction away from said end link, a draftanimalattachinglink extending forward from the said doubletree adjacent to said endlink, a second draftanimalattach ing link extending obliquely forwardfrom the opposite end portion of said doubletree and inclined toward thecenter thereof, and a pivotal link connection between said second linkand the end portion of said bar, the said center link, end link anddraft-animal-attaching links being adjustable longitudinally of thedoubletree and the said end link being also adjustable longitudinally ofthe lever, and the said forward extending bar being longitudinallyadjustable upon the said fulcrum of the lever, for the purpose setforth.

GEORGE W. RAYMOND.

' WVitnesses:

C. G. BRIGGLE, A. H. HILLIKER.

